The present invention relates to wheelchair attachments and in particular to a tray or work surface adapted to be easily attached to and removed from a wheelchair.
A problem encountered by many wheelchair confined persons is that they have difficulty handling and maneuvering the conventional tray used in the cafeterias of many companies, schools, public institutions and the like. Also, because the wheelchair confined person must use his hands to operate his chair, he cannot readily hold and fill a tray while moving along the cafeteria line, when moving from parts bins to workbench, or just carrying objects that need be stable. Attempts to balance the conventional tray on the arms of a wheelchair are at best hazardous and the use of special trays in cafeterias pose sanitary and waste handling problems since most such cafeterias have conveyor systems on which soiled trays and dishes must be placed before being fed to a washer. Such conveyors are designed to accept a conventional size tray and any variance from the conventional tray size could pose feed problems.
In view of the above, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved wheelchair tray assembly which quickly and easily may be attached to any wheelchair regardless of the width of the chair.
A further object is to provide such a tray assembly which, when attached to a wheelchair, leaves the occupants hands free to wheel the chair or operate the controls that move it.
A still further object is to provide such a tray assembly which is substantially the same size as a conventional cafeteria tray and which thus may readily be handled by conventional washing equipment.
A still further object is to provide such a tray assembly which, when removed from the wheelchair, may stand freely on a table surface thereby permitting the wheelchair occupant to sit at a regular table, desk or workbench with his co-workers.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a tray assembly which, when attached to a wheelchair, may be slid forward or back to accommodate persons of various waistline sizes.
Still other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the invention.